Watch John King's report about the absence of some GOP presidential candidates from minority-focussed debates.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. John McCain, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson will also miss a debate on Thursday night where the focus will be on issues of interest to minority communities and where all of the questions will be posed by minority journalists.

CNN's John King has a report on what missing this debate and similar events might mean for the Republican Party's ability to win the votes of minorities in 2008.

soundoff(20 Responses)

Completely off the subject: The GOP IS SCARED OF HEALTH AND MONETARY ISSUES.

Last June I received my renewal notice from my Medicare supplement. It went from $2100.00 to
$2700.00 for the coming year. I looked into, and signed up with a Medicare advantage policy.

This is what my old supplemental carrier sent to me. The United States House of Representatives just passed legislation which if enacted into law will dramatically cut the amount Medicare advantage companies are paid. This will result in companies leaving the market and cutting benefits on Medicare Advantage plans.

They invited me to return to their plan. If this is all true, listed below; are good reasons for Congress wanting to cut benefits to us senior citizens, so social security has the money for illegal immigrants.

Subject: If the immigrant is over 65.

If the immigrant is over 65 they can apply for SSI and Medicaid and get more than my mom gets for Social Security, and she worked from 1944 till 2004, only getting $791 per month because she was born in 1924 and there is a "catch 22".

It is interesting that the federal government provides a single refugee with a monthly allowance of $1,890.00 and each can also obtain an additional $580.00 in social assistance for a total of $2,470.00/month.

This compares very well to a single pensioner who after contributing to the growth and development of America for 40 to 5 0 years can only receive a monthly maximum of $1, 012.00 in old age pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Maybe our pensioners should apply as refugees!

Consider sending this to all your American friends, so we can all be ticked off and maybe get the refugees cut back to $1, 012.00 and the pensioners up to $2,470.00 and enjoy some of the money we were forced to submit to the Government over the last 40 or 50 or 60 years.

Please forward to every American to expose what our elected politicians have been doing over the past 11 years – to the over-taxed American.

Like Democrats, Republicans are focused on campaigning to their base. And since only 10% of blacks vote Republican, its not really all that surprising that Republicans are not spending lots of money there. Clearly CNN's political machine is once again attempting to make news where there is none. Sad really when there is so much to truely debate.

Completely ignoring a part of the electorate is not just about campaigning to your base, it bodes ill for the country as a whole, especially when parties campaign along a color line. You don't see the dems ignoring white voters. Or rich voters. The fact is that minority voters may be receptive to Republican ideas if Republicans gave them the time of day. More to the point, as hard as I may find it to vote for Hillary should she win the nomination, I absolutely cannot bring myself to vote for one of these four–they can't represent America if they are only willing to listen to some Americans.

As a rule, Republicans seem to head to only where there is an abundance of easy votes and money vs. to locations where America's social woes are most apparent. But then again what would one expect of social Darwinists who are already wildly wealthy and powerful? Empathy and concern for the average person? Yeah right.

Ethan said, "The GOP isn't scared of Black voters, they HATE them. The GOP is — and always has been — the party of Racism and Intolerance".

Let's see – Republican Abe Lincoln elected because the Democrats in the South split their party over slavery. Hmmm. Abe Lincoln freed the slaves. Hmmm. Democrats from post-cival war to FDR keep Jim Crow alive and provide cover for the KKK. 'Solid South' was how the region was known after reconstruction due to the inability to get anyone to vote a Republican candidate into office. Hmmmm. FDR and Truman integrate the army but, the Democrats splinter in the the Dixicrats in 1952 over civil rights plank. Hmmm. Eisenhower sends troops to enforce civil rights in Little Rock. Republicans push for civil rights but are thwarted through 1964 by filibustering by Democrats (Sen Byrd, Sen Strom Turmon – Democrat at the time). Hmmm.

I can see how you arrived at your conculsion about "The GOP is — and always has been — the party of Racism and Intolerance" – primarily through ignorance I think.

Liberals believe "if they type it....its true" – just to set the record straight – we are not racists – we are not all with the religious right – the majority of the party is moderate now...and moderate Democrats believe EXACTLY the same thing as moderate Republicans (and Independents) -with that said – the Democrats are running all left wing candidates – and for the most part the Republicans are running all right wing (with the exception of Giuliani) – I know those in FL, PA and CA are already brainwashed by the Clinton machine...but Giuliani will win the presidency – socially liberal and fiscally conservative – and yes...I know the firefights and police don't support him...but....should anyone stand with unions in 2007....we are in a global economy – we are unable to compete...and they are bankrupting their companies future – look at Detroit....unions time has come...and gone

You've hit the nail on the head BPFife. Democrats have always pushed policies that are detrimental to blacks. Just look at the breakdown of the black family over the last 40 yrs. Liberal social handouts have led to a failed education, child welfare and housing system. All of which have been continuously fed more and more taxpayers dollars to dem promises of improvements.

If Al would just step off that donkey, he could see that it has clearly been taking him the wrong way for 30 yrs now..

No, Republican's are not afraid of blacks. It is Democrats that are afraid, afraid of telling them the truth for fear of losing their votes.

Why don't you guys get smart. The goverment don't just protect the illegal people coming in it also takes care of us criminals I know when it is time to go and rob a store when I start getting sick.(with as gun you get more time without any worry of medical and what to eat protection) Think dummy and smarten up why are you stupid people needing more prisions???